Aussie Rule Football

06/01/08

The great game belongs to us no more

Baz Blakeney

December 29, 2007 12:00am

I WAS rifling through the shed the other day and came across an old box of odds and ends, including some of my St Kilda Saints membership passes from the '80s and '90s.

One of them had about 15 holes punched out by the ticket checkers, so I assume I must have gone to most of the home games at Moorabbin that year and three or four elsewhere, probably at the MCG or Vic Park or Footscray.

These days I'm lucky to see two or three games a year. Why? I wondered.

Well, I have kids now, which shuffles your priorities, and I often work on Sundays, which limits your options.

But I reckon the main reason is the AFL has mucked around with the game a bit too much for my liking.

It's taken many years of concerted effort, but they've darn near ruined it for people like me.

This latest internecine war over the Kangaroos' move to the Gold Coast is just another example of the footy commission's slow murder of our wonderful sport.

With teams now flying interstate for matches and playing at night and at twilight and on every second Tuesday in Guatemala or Zimbabwe or Antarctica or wherever the heck, the game has been snatched away from the fan in the outer.

We can't get to our favourite teams' matches as often as we used to.

And there is a reason for this -- the AFL doesn't want us to. Those nabobs at AFL headquarters want us to watch our clubs play on television.

TV is where the money is, you see, not gate receipts.

So the AFL has systematically shut down the suburban grounds, herded fans into a half dozen boutique venues and switched on the cameras.

They have turned the greatest game in the world into a reality TV show.

And which team will be voted out of the house next? Looks like the Roos.

Make no mistake about it, this is cultural vandalism.

To destroy a 100-year-old-plus sporting club like North Melbourne or Fitzroy just so we can have the joy of watching some synthetic confection like Port Power or the Dockers is tantamount to knocking down the Exhibition Building to put up a Kmart.

This is not just about a sport, this is about our identity. Australian rules football, as the name suggests, is one of the defining characteristics of this nation.

When an Australian says Aussie rules is the greatest game in the world, they mean it. It is the greatest game. At least it was.

I know I'm sounding like an old curmudgeon, and perhaps that's what I've become. But it pains me to watch a sport I love so dearly being cheapened.

And for those who say it's all about creating a national league, why in hallelujah is there no team in Tasmania, one of the most passionate football states in the land?

Because it's not about creating a national league. It's about money, pure and simple.

I hope the North Melbourne Football Club doesn't move to the Gold Coast.

I hope the Shinboners dig in and man the trenches and show those bean counters that the great game isn't about revenue streams and demographics and franchises and ratings figures.

It's about Australia. It's about us.

Baz Blakeney is a Herald Sun journalist and long-time Saints fan

09/12/07

Shinboner spirit could yet prevail

Alan Kohler

7:41 AM Dec 9, 2007

Little wonder that the previous directors of the North Melbourne Football Club Ltd, trading as the Kangaroos, resigned en masse and enthusiastically welcomed in an entirely new board led by TV personality James Brayshaw.

The company is essentially insolvent - a going concern only as long as it receives support from the bank known as the Australian Football League.

Last week the shareholders of the company rejected a permanent support package from the AFL worth around $100 million, because it was conditional on the company moving its headquarters to the Gold Coast.

For most companies this would be a "no-brainer". Simply move head office to a beach-side location in Queensland and - hey-presto! - no more financial problems. Apart from anything else, the person holding the feeding tube is usually right.

When the shareholders and customers of a company are in fundamental dispute with the bankers who are keeping the business alive, the directors are in an impossible position: their fiduciary duty to the owners is in direct conflict with their statutory obligations not to trade while insolvent.

Not that North Melbourne Football Club is now trading while insolvent. The AFL has not said it will withdraw support, and a new two-year, $1 million per year naming-rights sponsor - Vodafone - has stepped forward to help secure the revenue base.

Football clubs are emotional entities as much as trading entities and the new Brayshaw-led board has come in on a wave of loyalty and support that might actually result in the club surviving in Melbourne.

Although two other clubs - Fitzroy and South Melbourne - were shipped off by the AFL to pioneer Aussie rules in other states, two others - Footscray and Hawthorn - survived and then prospered through the passion and dollars of their supporters. That's what James Brayshaw and his colleagues on the board are hoping will happen over the next 12 months, and they may be right.

As for expansion to the Gold Coast, the AFL is now talking about a 17th team being started from scratch, which would mean one team would get a bye each week.

To get around that, and open up yet another new frontier, the AFL is now talking about an 18th team in Western Sydney, with the competition being divided into two "conferences" of nine and the Grand Final each year becoming like the US Super Bowl - a contest between the winner of each conference.

If they are started from scratch rather than by sending an existing, struggling team north out of Victoria, the Gold Coast and Western Sydney teams would be doubly high-risk ventures: the start-up risk would be compounded by the risk of expanding the competition and spreading the available sponsorship dollars between two more sets of 44 hungry players.

The AFL has long wanted to shrink the number of Victorian teams from 10 to eight, to reduce the number of AFL players and senior coach salaries from 720 to 586, but was thwarted by the supporters of Hawthorn and Footscray, who defied the beancounters and saved their clubs.

Now the AFL has hit another brick wall of supporters, this time those of the Shinboners (North Melbourne). It is crunch time for both sides.

Even with the Vodafone sponsorship, North Melbourne will be insolvent if the AFL withholds financial support unless the supporters come to the party with more than passion and placards.

And in an 18-team competition, even that may not be enough.

16/11/07

Sumich sure Eagles can cut it in 2008

One of West Coast's most loyal servants has launched a passionate defence of the club, vowing the Eagles will be an AFL force in 2008 despite losing Brownlow medallists Ben Cousins and Chris Judd.

As the younger Eagles returned to training after another tumultuous summer, senior assistant coach Peter Sumich said he was still proud to be involved with the club - and was glad he turned down Carlton to stay in Perth.

And despite the AFL and the Eagles themselves both launching inquiries into the players, culture and leadership in the recent turbulent past, Sumich said he did not believe that would affect preparation for the 2008 season.

"It is a club I have played with and loved ... to see what has been written is sad," Sumich said.

"But this club is built on tradition, even though it has only had 20 odd years going, we have won three premierships.

"Our coach is very strong, mentally, so he will get this group up with his assistants and we will go from there.

"I wouldn't be standing here wearing this (if I wasn't still proud to be an Eagle).

"We are going through some tough times but clubs always do that.

"But we have given a lot of happiness to a lot of people in WA - and I don't think people have forgotten that either."

Former Victorian High Court judge Bill Gillard, and ex-WA deputy premier Hendy Cowan will both lead their investigations into the club in the coming weeks.

But Sumich claimed despite senior players likely to be asked their version of events, it should not overly affect them.

"It is in their mind of course it would be. There has been a fair bit said about the West Coast Eagles - but I think they will use that," Sumich said.

"We will have the youngest if not the second youngest group going around next year, and I think the group are ready to give it a go and get at them.

"A few of our senior players will be (questioned), but I don't think it will affect them, half an hour here an hour there.

"And then they will then get on with business."

With Cousins and Judd both gone from the vaunted Eagles midfield for vastly different reasons, Sumich as midfield coach will have his work cut out this year to recreate the dominance enjoyed in recent seasons.

But he boldly predicted the Eagles would still be challenging for finals next year, despite having one of the youngest squads in the competition.

"Even though a couple of champions have gone, we will probably produce a few in the next few years," Sumich said.

"We will be very competitive, but where we finish ... we will just wait and see. Our players always push to make the finals, and that won't change.

"It is going to be a very even comp, and it boils down to one, two or three games throughout the year that you need to win if they are close."

09/11/07

AFL 'need to prop up Roos for years'

Kangaroos board member James Brayshaw believes the AFL would have to financially prop up the club for years even if they relocated to the Gold Coast.

Brayshaw, who is strongly in favour of keeping the Roos based in Melbourne, says the AFL's model to have the club forge a new home in south-east Queensland will not work unless the league was prepared to "drip feed" the club for at least a decade.

The AFL wants a second team in Queensland by 2010 and has reportedly offered to wipe off the Kangaroos' debt of more than $4.5 million, plus provide other financial and draft incentives, should they make the sunshine state their permanent base.

But Brayshaw, the co-host of the Nine Network's The Footy Show and a candidate to become the Kangaroos' next chairman following Graham Duff's departure, said his club would still be reliant on AFL hand-outs even if it relocated.

"The numbers just don't add up," Brayshaw said.

"We are going to need to be drip fed for a long time, until you can wipe your own face.

"That's just my opinion, having looked at the AFL model.

"The AFL are very confident that it's going to be right within six or seven years, which is fine, that's their view of it.

"But when I look at their model it worries me that if the North Melbourne Football Club goes to the Gold Coast, it's going to be a long time before we can fund ourselves."

Brayshaw said the majority of Kangaroos supporters wanted the club to remain in Melbourne, and at least fight for its future over the next two years.

Recently-retired club legend Glenn Archer, who is expected to push for a board position at the club's AGM, is also anti-relocation and said the Kangaroos should fight for their future and to stay in Melbourne.

On a separate front, Brayshaw is also pushing for Kangaroos members to have their say on the contentious relocation issue, rather than have the club's hand forced.

He is pushing for members to get a vote - possibly as early as later this month - on relocation.

"The important thing with this is that the decision's made by North Melbourne people, not by the AFL," he said.

"So as long as we set a date and then the North Melbourne members and shareholders can vote on what happens, fantastic.

"If our people vote for us to relocate then that's what happens, or, if they vote for us to stay here then that's what happens.

"The thing that was worrying me was with all the vitriol that was being poured on the club by outside sources that this was going to end up being a decision that was taken out of our hands."

However the Kangaroos' unique constitution, where shareholders make the club's major decisions, unlike the more traditional member-based forums at other clubs, means members might not get their say.

A crowd of about 500 of the Kangaroos faithful, including club identities, players and supporters, on Wednesday gathered at the Arden Street base to celebrate the life of popular trainer Ron McIntosh, who died last month.

McIntosh, 79, universally known as "Macca", died after a battle with cancer.

He was remembered as one of the great characters of the club, most famously for his "magic fingers" which he used so often treating players' injuries.

01/11/07

Cats chief worried for Victorian clubs

Geelong Chief Executive Brian Cook believes it will become increasingly difficult for 10 clubs to operate successfully unassisted in Victoria as the AFL attempts to cajole the Kangaroos into relocating to the Gold Coast.

"I think they (AFL) should be (assisting poorer clubs) at this point in time," Cook conceded.

"But if, over an extended period, the special assistance doesn't actually make a marked improvement on the ability for a club to grow then I think the hard decisions probably need to be made."

Cook's comments come as pressure continues to mount on the Kangaroos from the AFL to make a decision on the future of their home base.

If the Kangaroos decide against relocating, AFL boss Andrew Demetriou all but guaranteed a 17th club entering the league in 2010 and Geelong skipper Tom Harley doesn't mind the idea of more teams in the competition.

"The more the merrier, if we can afford a 20-team competition I think that's great," Harley said.

"That's been mooted, a team on the Gold Coast in the next three or four years so I think it's great (but) it's tough on the North Melbourne supporters more than anything else."

Cook and Harley were speaking at the launch the club's new branding on Thursday at Federation Square and the Cats chief declared that Geelong is experiencing a rebirth.

"Some other people says it's an evolution, but I think if it's evolution, it's fast-tracked evolution, it's a bit of renaissance I think," a beaming Cook said.

"I think winning the premiership has fast-tracked that."

Yet Cook is aware that Geelong has a long way to go before it can consider itself a powerhouse in the AFL.

"When you average 21,000 (crowds) at home at Skilled (Stadium), we need to get bigger than that to become a great club so that's why we're redeveloping Skilled Stadium, et cetera."

25/10/07

Small win for Cousins

Disgraced former West Coast Eagle Ben Cousins has been awarded $50 in costs after one of the charges that led to his sacking by the West Coast Eagles was formally dropped in the Perth Magistrates Court.

The 29-year-old was arrested by West Australian police last Tuesday after being pulled up for driving erratically.

He was later charged with possessing a prohibited drug and refusing to take a driver assessment test which includes a blood test.

Police prosecutors advised the court on Monday morning the drug charge would not be pursued for 'want of prosecution' but Cousins is expected to re-appear on January 21 next year to defend the driver assessment charge.

The 29-year-old was not required to appear in court on Monday and an award of $50 in costs, a sum nominated by his lawyer Shane Brennan, was made in Cousins' favour.

Cousins is reported to be considering taking legal action over the events that led to the cancellation of his contract by the West Coast Eagles last week.

The club has said the withdrawal of the possession charge has no bearing on its position regarding Cousins who was dismissed for an accumulation of incidents over a longer period.

07/09/07

Cox declares fitness as Eagles fly out

AAP Wednesday September 5, 7:16 PM

All Australian candidate Dean Cox has unequivocally declared he will be fit for West Coast as they attempt to break a nine-year hoodoo against Port Adelaide in Friday's qualifying final.

After hobbling off with an apparent leg injury during the frantic last quarter against Essendon last weekend, doubts have been increasing over Cox's fitness for the trip to South Australia to take on the Power.

With a gap of nine years since the Eagles beat Port at AAMI Stadium, the fitness of Cox will be a crucial element, given Mark Williams can call on fellow All-Australian rucking nominee Brendan Lade and Dean Brogan.

But after claiming the weekend's injury was just a severe cramp, Cox left with the rest of the Eagles squad on Wednesday - and before flying out reiterated he was fit and ready.

"I cramped up in most parts of my leg, it wasn't a very pleasant feeling. My groins and my quad were cramping," Cox said.

"It just locked up and you can't do anything. With my quad I could not bend my leg when that cramped up.

"But it is not serious at all. We had treatment on it in the week, just massage to get rid of all the soreness out of it.

"It is good now, that is all that matters. I will be flying out today and playing on Friday night."

Not on the flight out of Perth was Ashley Hansen, whose hamstring injury has kept him out this week, and could leave him struggling if the Eagles are required to play next week.

But among those who were in the 26 that travelled were returning Chris Judd, Andrew Embley and Adam Selwood, with youngsters Chad Jones, Jamie McNamara and Mitch Morton also included.

Matt Priddis was also on the plane after some intensive treatment on a corked thigh suffered in the win over the Bombers.

Cox said the return of Judd, Embley and Selwood would be a big boost.

"That will certainly boost our stocks, and we go to Adelaide very confident knowing that our game plan holds up in finals," Cox said.

"Every side or players at this time of year do tend to be carrying a few niggly injuries, and that is just the way it is every year.

"But it probably is (worse than last year), with the personnel we have had out."

Meanwhile, West Coast have revealed a long term hip injury has finally ended the career of stalwart Josh Wooden.

Wooden, selected with pick 24 in the 1996 draft, had not played a senior game this year because of the ailment, leaving his last appearance as the western derby against Fremantle last season.

Secured in the same draft as Michael Braun, consistent injuries restricted Wooden to a 96-game career, while Braun played his 200th match earlier this year.

Wooden, 28, announced his decision to the playing group ahead of their closed training session at Subiaco Oval on Wednesday morning.

Speaking on Network Ten this evening, Eagles 2007 premiership hero Daniel Chick said he thought it unlikely he would be continue playing next year.

Chick, whose smother and handball was a defining moment of last year's one-point grand final victory over Sydney, revealed he was not expecting his contract to be extended.